Integumentary System Review

Callus

Thickening of part of the skin on the hands and feet because of repeated rubbing.

Cicatrix

Normal scar resulting from the healing of a wound.

Keloid

Abnormally raised or thickened scar that expands beyond the boundaries of the incision. They are more common among people with darker skin. There is an inherited tendency to form these raised scars.

Ulcer

Tissue loss seen in an open lesion of the skin or the mucous membranes. Typically, they are painful. There are many different causes of these, including prolonged pressure on an area. Ones that develop from immobility are called bedsores.

Contact dermatitis

Localized irritation of the skin caused by an irritant or an allergic reaction

Urticaria (hives)

Itchy welts caused by an allergic reaction

Eczema (atopic dermatitis)

A form of persistent dermatitis common in infants and young children. It almost always causes pruritus and is most common in the creases of joints.

Ichthyosis

Group of inherited skin disorders that are characterized by dry, thickened, and scaly skin.

Contusion

General term for a bruise

Ecchymosis

Irregular, purplish discolored bruise. There is a large accumulation of blood underneath the skin, but the skin does not swell.

Petechiae

Small, pinpoint bleedings that are smaller than one tenth of an inch in diameter that may result from high fevers.

Hematoma

Swelling of clotted blood that is trapped in a tissue.

Port-wine stain

A large, flat, purple-reddish discoloration of the face or neck at birth.

Strawberry hemangioma

Raised purple-reddish birthmark that is a harmless tumor made of blood vessels. These sometimes disappear.

Cellulitis

Bacterial infection just below the skin, characterized by erythema, swelling, warmth, and pain.

Impetigo

Bacterial skin infection characterized by pustules that become crusted and rupture.

Gangrene

Death of skin tissue caused by lack of blood flow to a certain area of the body. If bacteria invade the body and the infection spreads, it can be fatal.

Herpes simplex virus

Infection that causes ulcers or sores in the mouth or genital area. These ulcers may be dormant at one time, but they may reactivate based on stress, fatigue, or general illness.

Herpes zoster (shingles)

Acute viral infection characterizes by painful skin eruptions that follow the underlying inflamed nerve.

Verrucae (warts)

Firm nodules on the surface of the skin. Human papillomavirus infects the cells of the skin and causes hypertrophy of those cells, creating these structures that often disappear with time.

Tinea (ringworm)

Fungal infection that spreads out in a circle.

Pediculosis

Lice lay eggs and reproduce in this infection.

Lupus erythematosus

Autoimmune disease affecting many of the tissues of the body. In the skin, a butterfly-shaped rash is often seen on the cheeks and nose.

Psoriasis

Autoimmune disease where raised, red plaques covered with thick, silvery scales appear on the elbows, knees, or scalp.

Scleroderma

Autoimmune disease that causes the connective tissue of the body to harden; the skin of patients is hard and tight.

Acne vulgaris

Caused by an overproduction of sebum and characterized by pustular breakouts in the sebaceous glands.

Sebaceous cyst

Closed sac-like struct associated with an oil gland.

Seborrheic dermatitis

An inflammation that causes scaling and itching, most often in the scalp.

Diaphoresis

Profuse sweating that can be brought on by heat or illness

Sleep hyperhidrosis

Excessive sweating during sleep.

Folliculitis

Inflammation of the hair follicle(s).

Hirsutism

Presence of excessive hair in women, usually occurring in a male pattern. Typically caused by a hormone imbalance.

Alopecia

A partial or complete loss of hair.

Koilonychia

A malformation of the nail in which the nail is scooped out or concave.

Onychomycosis

Fungal infection of the nails.

Onychophagia

Biting of the nail(s).

Alopec(i)-

Baldness

Cry(o)-

Cold

Cutane(o)-, Dermat(o)-, Derm(o)-

Skin

Erthr(o)-, Erythem(o)-

Red

Hidr(o)-

Sweat

Koil(o)-

Hollow, concave

Lip(o)-

Fat

Melan(o)-

Black

Myc(o)-

Fungus

Onych(o)-

Nail

Scler(o)-

Hardening

Seb(o)-

Sebum

Trich(o)-, Pil(i)-, Pil(o)-

Hair

Urtic(o)-

Rash, hives

Xer(o)-

Dry